---
title: "GeorgeLiChess sitemap"
url: "https://georgelichess.com/sitemap.md"
canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/sitemap.md"
last_updated: "2026-11-10"
type: "index"
summary: "Every GeorgeLiChess page with a link to its markdown version and a one-line summary."
related: ["https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt"]
---

# GeorgeLiChess sitemap

> Every GeorgeLiChess page with a link to its markdown version and a one-line summary.

## Lessons

- [Chess lessons from an International Master | GeorgeLiChess](https://georgelichess.com/index.md): One-on-one online chess lessons with George Li, an International Master: your games reviewed, a written study plan and weekly coaching for players and juniors.
- [Chess lesson prices and packages](https://georgelichess.com/pricing.md): Prices for one-on-one online chess lessons with George Li: single lessons and prepaid packages of 5, 10, 25 and 40 lessons.
- [Contact George Li about chess lessons](https://georgelichess.com/contact.md): Write to hello@georgelichess.com with a question about chess lessons, packages, groups or schools, and you will get a reply by email.
- [George Li, chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/about.md): George Li coaches chess one-on-one online. GeorgeLiChess is his own coaching and is not affiliated with Lichess.
- [Book a chess lesson with George Li](https://georgelichess.com/book.md): Book a 60-minute one-on-one online chess lesson with George Li. Start with the $150 first lesson or choose a lesson package.
- [Chess first lesson and study plan](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): Book the 60-minute chess first lesson with George Li for $150: a game review, a read on your level and a written study plan by email.
- [Online chess lessons with George Li](https://georgelichess.com/online-chess-lessons.md): One-on-one online chess lessons with George Li, an International Master: how a lesson runs, who it suits, what the first step costs and how to book it.
- [Online chess coach with George Li](https://georgelichess.com/online-chess-coach.md): What an online chess coach does, how to judge one, and how coaching with George Li, an International Master, starts, what it costs and how to book.
- [Chess Coach: Private Lessons With an IM](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coach.md): Work with George Li, an International Master, one-on-one online: your games reviewed on screen, a training block and a written plan after every lesson.
- [Chess Lessons for Kids, Taught by an IM](https://georgelichess.com/chess-lessons-for-kids.md): One-on-one online chess lessons for children by an International Master. What a lesson looks like for each age, how progress shows and how to choose a package.
- [Chess Tutor: One-on-One Online Teaching](https://georgelichess.com/chess-tutor.md): A chess tutor teaches you the game step by step. Learn how a tutor differs from a coach or a course, what is taught and what a four-week plan looks like.

## Free tools

- [Free chess tools and calculators](https://georgelichess.com/tools.md): Free chess calculators for rating changes, performance ratings and time controls, each with its formula, a worked example and sourced FIDE values.
- [Chess rating calculator: FIDE and Elo](https://georgelichess.com/tools/rating-calculator.md): Estimate your FIDE rating change after a set of games with the Handbook expected-score table and K factor, with the textbook Elo formula alongside.
- [US Chess (USCF) rating estimator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/uscf-rating-estimator.md): Estimate your US Chess rating change after an event with the published formula: expected score, K from effective games and the bonus, worked step by step.
- [Chess performance rating calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/performance-rating.md): Turn a score against a field of opponents into a performance rating with the FIDE conversion table, from a list of games or from totals.
- [Chess time control calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/time-control-calculator.md): Enter a base time and increment to see the estimated game length and whether it counts as bullet, blitz, rapid or classical on Lichess and in FIDE rules.
- [Chess title norm calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-norm-calculator.md): Enter the games of a tournament and check them against the FIDE requirements for a GM, IM, WGM or WIM norm, with every Handbook clause shown.
- [Chess title requirements checker](https://georgelichess.com/tools/title-requirements.md): Enter your highest rating, your norms and the games they cover, and see which FIDE title requirements you meet and what remains, with each Handbook clause.

## Openings

- [Chess Openings: Guides With Real Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings.md): Chess opening guides by an International Master: the moves, the plans, typical mistakes and how each opening scores by rating band on Lichess.
- [Caro-Kann Defense: Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/caro-kann-defense.md): The Caro-Kann Defense explained by an International Master: the idea, the Classical, Advance and Exchange lines, typical mistakes and how it scores.
- [Dutch Defense: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/dutch-defense.md): The Dutch Defense explained by an International Master: the Leningrad and Stonewall setups, plans for both sides, typical mistakes and how it scores.
- [English Opening: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/english-opening.md): The English Opening explained by an International Master: the flank setup, the reversed Sicilian, the symmetrical lines and how it scores by rating band.
- [French Defense: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/french-defense.md): The French Defense explained by an International Master: the pawn structure, the main variations, plans for both sides and how it scores by rating band.
- [Fried Liver Attack: Moves, Ideas, Defenses](https://georgelichess.com/openings/fried-liver-attack.md): How the Fried Liver Attack works, why it scores so well at club level, how Black avoids it and where White overreaches, from an International Master.
- [Italian Game: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/italian-game.md): The Italian Game explained by an International Master: Giuoco Piano, the slow plan, the sharp d4 break, Legal's mate and how it scores by rating band.
- [King's Gambit: Ideas, Traps and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/kings-gambit.md): The King's Gambit explained by an International Master: the pawn sacrifice, accepted and declined lines, plans, typical mistakes and how it scores by rating.
- [King's Indian Defense: Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/kings-indian-defense.md): The King's Indian Defense explained by an International Master: the setup, the ...f5 and ...e5 plans, White's main systems and how it scores by rating.
- [London System: Setup, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/london-system.md): The London System explained by an International Master: the setup, plans for both sides, typical mistakes and how it scores at every rating level.
- [Pirc Defense: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/pirc-defense.md): The Pirc Defense explained by an International Master: the setup, White's main systems, Black's counterattack and how it scores at each rating band.
- [Queen's Gambit: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/queens-gambit.md): The Queen's Gambit explained by an International Master: Declined and Accepted lines, the Slav, plans for both sides and how it scores at each rating band.
- [Ruy Lopez: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/ruy-lopez.md): The Ruy Lopez explained by an International Master: the idea behind 3.Bb5, the Closed and Berlin lines, plans for both sides and how it scores.
- [Scandinavian Defense: Moves and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/scandinavian-defense.md): The Scandinavian Defense explained by an International Master: the two ways to recapture, plans for both sides, typical mistakes and how it scores.
- [Scotch Game: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/scotch-game.md): The Scotch Game explained by an International Master: the central break on move three, the main lines, plans, typical mistakes and how it scores.
- [Sicilian Defense: Moves, Plans and Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings/sicilian-defense.md): The Sicilian Defense explained by an International Master: key moves, plans for both sides, typical mistakes and how it scores by rating band.
- [Sicilian Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/sicilian-defense.md): White scored 50.7% in 163,245 Sicilian Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Queen's Pawn Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/queens-pawn-game.md): White scored 52.7% in 153,924 games of the Queen's Pawn Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [French Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/french-defense.md): White scored 50.5% in 102,129 French Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Caro-Kann Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/caro-kann-defense.md): White scored 50.2% in 93,312 Caro-Kann Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Scandinavian Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/scandinavian-defense.md): White scored 51.3% in 86,344 Scandinavian Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Italian Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/italian-game.md): White scored 52.0% in 81,584 games of the Italian Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [King's Pawn Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/kings-pawn-game.md): White scored 51.3% in 56,960 games of the King's Pawn Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [English Opening win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/english-opening.md): White scored 53.4% in 45,165 English Opening games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Philidor Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/philidor-defense.md): White scored 52.1% in 43,229 Philidor Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Queen's Gambit Declined win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/queens-gambit-declined.md): White scored 53.4% in 43,053 Queen's Gambit Declined games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Scotch Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/scotch-game.md): White scored 54.8% in 38,672 games of the Scotch Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Bishop's Opening win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/bishops-opening.md): White scored 53.4% in 34,549 Bishop's Opening games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Ruy Lopez win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/ruy-lopez.md): White scored 53.1% in 33,335 Ruy Lopez games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Pirc Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/pirc-defense.md): White scored 51.7% in 31,883 Pirc Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Modern Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/modern-defense.md): White scored 51.6% in 31,083 Modern Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Indian Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/indian-defense.md): White scored 51.8% in 30,925 Indian Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Zukertort Opening win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/zukertort-opening.md): White scored 51.5% in 30,254 Zukertort Opening games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Petrov's Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/petrovs-defense.md): White scored 52.6% in 23,657 Petrov's Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Four Knights Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/four-knights-game.md): White scored 52.2% in 23,090 games of the Four Knights Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Vienna Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/vienna-game.md): White scored 53.3% in 22,706 games of the Vienna Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Englund Gambit win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/englund-gambit.md): White scored 50.9% in 20,497 Englund Gambit games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Nimzowitsch Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/nimzowitsch-defense.md): White scored 51.9% in 19,239 Nimzowitsch Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Nimzo-Larsen Attack win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/nimzo-larsen-attack.md): White scored 52.0% in 17,468 Nimzo-Larsen Attack games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Hungarian Opening win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/hungarian-opening.md): White scored 51.3% in 17,245 Hungarian Opening games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Slav Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/slav-defense.md): White scored 53.5% in 16,956 Slav Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Benoni Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/benoni-defense.md): White scored 51.3% in 15,344 Benoni Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Queen's Gambit Accepted win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/queens-gambit-accepted.md): White scored 55.6% in 15,107 Queen's Gambit Accepted games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [King's Gambit Accepted win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/kings-gambit-accepted.md): White scored 53.0% in 12,768 King's Gambit Accepted games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Alekhine Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/alekhine-defense.md): White scored 50.7% in 12,640 Alekhine Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Center Game win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/center-game.md): White scored 52.2% in 12,505 games of the Center Game on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [King's Indian Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/kings-indian-defense.md): White scored 51.2% in 12,481 King's Indian Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Dutch Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/dutch-defense.md): White scored 52.4% in 9,514 Dutch Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [King's Gambit Declined win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/kings-gambit-declined.md): White scored 50.9% in 8,392 King's Gambit Declined games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Rat Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/rat-defense.md): White scored 51.7% in 7,409 Rat Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Blackmar-Diemer Gambit win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/blackmar-diemer-gambit.md): White scored 52.1% in 4,579 Blackmar-Diemer Gambit games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Nimzo-Indian Defense win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/nimzo-indian-defense.md): White scored 52.5% in 4,264 Nimzo-Indian Defense games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the most played lines.
- [Queen's Gambit win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/queens-gambit.md): White scored 54.1% in 59,038 Queen's Gambit games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the lines counted.
- [London System win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/london-system.md): White scored 50.2% in 4,022 London System games on Lichess, 1 September 2026. Results by rating band, time control and the lines counted.

## Glossary

- [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md): Chess terms explained in plain words: a glossary of definitions, each with an example position or the rule it comes from, and links to related terms.
- [Chess terms: Tactics and combinations](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tactics.md): 60 plain definitions of chess terms about tactics, such as Absolute pin and Anastasia's mate, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Strategy](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/strategy.md): 70 plain definitions of chess terms about strategy, such as Backward pawn and Bad bishop, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Endgames](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/endgames.md): 60 plain definitions of chess terms about endgames, such as Active rook and Bishop and knight checkmate, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Opening concepts](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/opening-concepts.md): 50 plain definitions of chess terms about opening concepts, such as Accepted gambit and Benoni structure, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Rules, notation and equipment](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/rules-notation.md): 50 plain definitions of chess terms about rules and notation, such as Adjusting a piece and Algebraic notation, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Tournaments, ratings and titles](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tournaments-ratings-titles.md): 50 plain definitions of chess terms about ratings and titles, such as Blitz rating and Board number, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Time controls and formats](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/time-controls.md): 25 plain definitions of chess terms about time controls, such as Antichess and Armageddon, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Computer chess and analysis](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/computer-chess.md): 30 plain definitions of chess terms about computer chess, such as Accuracy and Alpha-beta pruning, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Chess terms: Training and psychology](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/training-psychology.md): 25 plain definitions of chess terms about training, such as Blunder check habit and Calculation, with related terms linked from each one.
- [Absolute pin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/absolute-pin.md): An absolute pin is a pin in which the piece behind the pinned piece is the king, so the pinned piece cannot legally move off the line at all.
- [Accepted gambit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/accepted-gambit.md): An accepted gambit is a line in which the opponent takes the pawn that was offered. The game then turns on whether the activity is worth the pawn.
- [Accuracy in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/accuracy.md): Accuracy is a percentage produced by analysis software that summarizes how closely a player's moves matched the engine's preferred choices over a game.
- [Active rook in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/active-rook.md): An active rook controls open lines, attacks enemy pawns or the king from behind or the side, and cannot easily be attacked.
- [Adjusting a piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/adjusting-a-piece.md): Adjusting a piece means straightening one on its square; the Laws allow it only to the player on the move. The answer is to announce it first.
- [Algebraic notation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/algebraic-notation.md): Algebraic notation is the standard system for recording chess moves. A move in algebraic notation answers two questions: which piece moved, and where it went.
- [Alpha-beta pruning in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/alpha-beta-pruning.md): Alpha-beta pruning is a search technique that skips branches of the move tree that cannot change the minimax result.
- [Anastasia's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/anastasias-mate.md): Anastasia's mate is a checkmate in which a knight and a rook trap a king on the edge. Nothing can capture the rook if no black piece reaches the h-file.
- [Annotation symbols in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/annotation-symbols.md): Annotation symbols are the short marks added to written moves, such as + for check, # for checkmate, x for a capture and (=) for a draw offer.
- [Antichess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/antichess.md): Antichess is a variant that turns the aim upside down. Antichess uses the normal board and moves, but captures become compulsory.
- [Arabian mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/arabian-mate.md): An Arabian mate is a corner checkmate where a rook gives the check from beside the king, and a knight, a jump away from the rook.
- [Arbiter in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/arbiter.md): The arbiter is the official who sees that the Laws of Chess and the rules of the event are followed, rules on disputes and claims.
- [Armageddon in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md): Armageddon is a sudden death tiebreak game in which White receives more time than Black, but Black wins the game if it ends in a draw.
- [Atomic chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/atomic-chess.md): Atomic chess is a variant in which every capture causes an explosion that removes the capturing piece. A capture that would blow up your own king is illegal.
- [Attraction in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/attraction.md): Attraction is a tactic that draws the enemy king or queen onto a square where it can be checked, forked or mated.
- [Average centipawn loss in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/average-centipawn-loss.md): Average centipawn loss, or ACPL, is the mean amount of evaluation a player gave up per move compared with the engine's best choice.
- [Back rank mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/back-rank-mate.md): A back rank mate is a checkmate on a player's first or eighth rank, typically by a rook or queen. That is the very setup this mate punishes.
- [Backward pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/backward-pawn.md): A backward pawn is a pawn that has fallen behind the pawns on neighboring files and cannot safely advance. Pawns only go forward, so the gap is permanent.
- [Bad bishop in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bad-bishop.md): A bad bishop is one whose own pawns stand mostly on its color, where they block its diagonals, leaving it with little range and few targets to attack.
- [Battery in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/battery.md): A battery is two of your pieces lined up on one file, rank or diagonal, with the rear piece backing up the front one so that both press on the same target.
- [Benoni structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/benoni-structure.md): An asymmetrical structure where White has a pawn on d5 and Black has pawns on c5 and d6. White's d5 pawn is the key feature.
- [Best move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/best-move.md): The best move is the move an engine rates highest in a given position after searching. That is useful, but it is narrower than it sounds.
- [Bind in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bind.md): A bind is a lasting space edge in which advanced pawns, backed by pieces, control the squares the opponent needs and prevent their freeing pawn break.
- [Bishop in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop.md): The bishop moves any number of squares along a diagonal, as long as no piece stands in the way, so each bishop stays on one color of square for the entire game.
- [Bishop and knight checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop-and-knight-checkmate.md): Bishop and knight checkmate is the ending in which a king, a bishop and a knight force mate against a lone king.
- [Bishop pair in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop-pair.md): The bishop pair is the advantage of owning both a light-squared and a dark-squared bishop while the opponent does not.
- [Bishop versus knight endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop-versus-knight-endgame.md): A bishop versus knight endgame is an ending in which one side keeps a bishop and the other a knight, usually with pawns.
- [Blackburne's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blackburnes-mate.md): Blackburne's mate is a checkmate made with two bishops and a knight. This mate uses three minor pieces against a king on g8.
- [Blindfold chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blindfold-chess.md): Blindfold chess is played without seeing the board or the pieces. In blindfold chess the players do not look at a board.
- [Blitz chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md): Blitz chess is a fast format where each player has about three to ten minutes for the whole game. In blitz, the clock is a constant pressure.
- [Blitz rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-rating.md): A blitz rating is a rating earned in blitz games, kept on a separate list from standard and rapid ratings, because fast play measures a different skill.
- [Blockade in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blockade.md): A blockade is the plan of stopping an enemy pawn by occupying the square it must move to next, most often a passed or isolated pawn.
- [Blunder in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder.md): A blunder is a very serious error, such as leaving a piece undefended or missing a decisive tactic. A blunder is the heaviest error grade in game review.
- [Blunder check in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder-check.md): A blunder check is a quick test, made by a person before moving or by software afterward, that looks for a move which hangs material.
- [Blunder check habit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder-check-habit.md): A blunder check habit is a short, fixed routine run before every move. Most games between club players are decided by an oversight, not a deep plan.
- [Board number in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/board-number.md): A board number identifies the table at which a game is played, and in a team match it also names a player's place in the team order.
- [Boden's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bodens-mate.md): Boden's mate is a checkmate in which two bishops attack along diagonals that cross, one giving check and the other cutting off flight squares.
- [Book move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/book-move.md): A book move is a move in a well established opening line, one that already appears in published analysis. It is not automatically right for you, though.
- [Brilliant move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/brilliant-move.md): A brilliant move is a label some analysis tools give to a strong, hard-to-find move, often a sacrifice, that the engine confirms keeps.
- [Buchholz in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/buchholz.md): Buchholz is a tiebreak that totals the final scores of every opponent a player met. Imagine two players who both finish a Swiss on 6 points.
- [Bughouse in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bughouse.md): Bughouse is a four-player chess variant on two linked boards, where each capture hands the taken piece to your partner.
- [Bullet chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bullet-chess.md): Bullet chess is the fastest common format, with each player having under three minutes, usually one minute, so success depends on speed.
- [Bye in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bye.md): A bye is a round in which a player has no opponent and still receives points; in a Swiss event it goes to one player when the field is odd.
- [Calculation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/calculation.md): Calculation is the skill of mentally working out concrete sequences of moves and replies, one line at a time, to judge what a position really offers.
- [Candidate Master in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/candidate-master.md): Candidate Master is the entry-level FIDE title for open play, awarded for reaching a standard rating of 2200. It is confirmed for life like other FIDE titles.
- [Candidate moves in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/candidate-moves.md): Candidate moves are the small set of plausible moves you shortlist in a position before analyzing any of them in depth.
- [Candidates Tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/candidates-tournament.md): The Candidates Tournament is the FIDE event, played by eight qualifiers. Think of the Candidates as the last gate before the championship match.
- [Capture in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/capture.md): A capture happens when a piece moves onto a square held by an enemy piece, which is removed from the board as part of the same move.
- [Carlsbad structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/carlsbad-structure.md): The pawn setup from the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation, with White pawns on d4 and e3 against Black pawns on c6 and d5.
- [Caro-Kann structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/caro-kann-structure.md): The solid Black setup with pawns on c6 and d5 against White's e4 pawn. Black normally follows with ...e6 and the break ...c5 to challenge the center.
- [Castling in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/castling.md): Castling is a special king move that shelters the king and activates a rook in one turn. The Laws split the conditions into two kinds.
- [Castling plan in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/castling-plan.md): A castling plan is a deliberate decision about when and on which side to castle, or whether to castle at all, based on the pawn structure.
- [Catalan setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/catalan-setup.md): The Catalan setup is a White formation with pawns on d4 and c4 and a fianchettoed bishop on g2. There are two main branches.
- [Center control in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/center-control.md): Center control means influencing the central squares d4, d5, e4 and e5, with pawns, pieces or both. There are two ways to control the center.
- [Centipawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/centipawn.md): A centipawn is one hundredth of a pawn, the small unit engines use to report evaluations. The centipawn is the unit behind engine scores.
- [Central break in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/central-break.md): A central break is a pawn advance or exchange in the middle of the board, usually on the c, d, e or f files. Wings are quiet until the center says otherwise.
- [Check in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/check.md): Check is the state of a king that stands attacked by one or more opposing pieces; the player whose king it is must end the attack with the very next move.
- [Checking distance in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checking-distance.md): Checking distance is the space a defending rook keeps from the enemy king, usually a long way off. A rook that checks from close range is easy to chase.
- [Checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checkmate.md): Checkmate, or mate, ends a chess game at once. Once that position appears on the board the game is over and the mating side has won; nothing more is played.
- [Chess clock](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-clock.md): A chess clock is a pair of linked timers of which only one runs at a time. The clock turns chess into a race as well as a puzzle.
- [Chess engine](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-engine.md): A chess engine is a computer program that searches positions and evaluates moves, usually playing and analyzing far stronger than any human.
- [Chess Olympiad](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-olympiad.md): The Chess Olympiad is the biennial team event in which national teams compete in open and women's sections, ranked by match points under a Swiss-system pairing.
- [Chess pieces](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece.md): Chess pieces are the sixteen units each side starts with: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns.
- [Chess psychology](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-psychology.md): Chess psychology covers the mental side of the game, including focus, confidence, nerves. Strength at the board is not only knowledge.
- [Chess training](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-training.md): Chess training is the organized, repeated practice of specific skills such as tactics, endgames, openings and calculation.
- [Chess variant](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-variant.md): A chess variant is a game played on a chessboard with pieces that move as in chess but with at least one changed rule, setup or goal, such as Chess960.
- [Chess960](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess960.md): Chess960 is a variant that begins from one of 960 randomly chosen back-rank setups, with the king between the rooks and the bishops on opposite colors.
- [Chessboard](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chessboard.md): The chessboard is the playing field for every game of chess, a large square divided into eight rows and eight columns of light and dark cells that alternate.
- [Clamp in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/clamp.md): A clamp is a bind created by pawns, typically two pawns on the fourth rank, that takes away key squares and stops the opponent's freeing pawn break.
- [Classical chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/classical-chess.md): Classical chess is the slowest regular format, with long thinking time per player, usually more than an hour each.
- [Clearance sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/clearance-sacrifice.md): A clearance sacrifice gives up material to remove a piece from a square, file, rank or diagonal. A clearance sacrifice pays material to get rid of the blocker.
- [Closed game in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/closed-game.md): In a closed game, locked pawn chains and blocked central files restrict the pieces. When the center is locked, the board feels smaller.
- [Closed Sicilian in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/closed-sicilian.md): The Closed Sicilian is a way of meeting the Sicilian Defense in which White avoids the early d4 break and instead develops with Nc3, g3, Bg2 and d3.
- [Coach in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/coach.md): A chess coach is a more experienced player or teacher who helps a student improve by diagnosing weaknesses, structuring study.
- [Colle system setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/colle-system-setup.md): The Colle system setup is a quiet White plan that leaves the c1 bishop behind a pawn on e3 for now and groups the other pieces, with Bd3, Nf3, Nbd2 and c3.
- [Color complex in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/color-complex.md): A color complex is a group of squares of one color around a king or pawn structure that turns weak when the defender has traded the bishop that guards them.
- [Combination in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/combination.md): A combination is a forcing sequence of moves, usually built from sacrifices and checks. A combination is a short calculated sequence, not a single trick.
- [Compensation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/compensation.md): Compensation is whatever a side holds in place of missing material. Chess is not decided by counting pieces alone.
- [Concentration in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/concentration.md): Concentration is the ability to keep your attention on the current position. A practical habit is to run the same short check before every move.
- [Confidence in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/confidence.md): Confidence in chess is a player's steady belief in their own ability to find good moves and handle difficult positions.
- [Connected passed pawns in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/connected-passed-pawns.md): Connected passed pawns are two passed pawns on adjacent files that support each other and can advance together.
- [Connected pawns in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/connected-pawns.md): Connected pawns are two or more friendly pawns standing on adjacent files, side by side or on neighboring ranks.
- [Coordinates in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/coordinates.md): Coordinates are the letters a to h along the files and the numbers 1 to 8 along the ranks that give every square of the chessboard a unique name.
- [Correspondence chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/correspondence-chess.md): Correspondence chess is played over a long period, with moves sent by post, email or a website, so each player has days to think about every move.
- [Corresponding squares in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/corresponding-squares.md): Corresponding squares form a map for blocked pawn endings. The opposition is a ready-made answer for kings facing each other across one square.
- [Counterattack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/counterattack.md): A counterattack is a reply to a threat that answers it with a threat of your own instead of defending, usually a larger one.
- [Countergambit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/countergambit.md): A countergambit is a reply in which the defender answers a gambit, or an early attack, with a pawn offer of their own instead of simply accepting or declining.
- [Counterplay in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/counterplay.md): Counterplay is active play that a player in a worse or defensive position creates, such as a threat, a pawn break or an attack elsewhere.
- [Crazyhouse in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/crazyhouse.md): Crazyhouse is a chess variant in which a captured piece changes sides and joins your reserve. This changes how everything feels.
- [Cutting off the king in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/cutting-off-the-king.md): Cutting off the king means placing a rook on a file or rank so that the enemy king cannot cross it, which keeps the king away from the pawns.
- [Damiano's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/damianos-mate.md): Damiano's mate is a checkmate in which a queen gives check on h7 next to a king on g8, guarded by a pawn on g6.
- [Database in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/database.md): A chess database is a searchable collection of games, stored in a standard format, that lets a player look up positions, study opponents.
- [Dead position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dead-position.md): A dead position is one in which checkmate can no longer happen for either side. The test for a dead position is about possibility, not probability.
- [Declined gambit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/declined-gambit.md): A declined gambit is a line in which the opponent refuses the offered pawn and instead develops a piece or makes a counter move.
- [Decoy in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/decoy.md): A decoy is a tactic that lures an enemy piece onto a chosen square, usually with a sacrifice it has to accept, so that the piece can be forked.
- [Deflection in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/deflection.md): Deflection is the tactic of dragging an enemy defender off its post, often by a threat or an offered capture, so that what it was holding together falls apart.
- [Delay in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/delay.md): A delay is a pause at the start of each turn before a clock begins counting down, so a player can use that short time without losing any from the main clock.
- [Deliberate practice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/deliberate-practice.md): Deliberate practice is focused training aimed at a specific weakness, done slightly beyond your comfort level with clear goals and immediate feedback.
- [Descriptive notation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/descriptive-notation.md): Descriptive notation is the older system that records moves relative to each side's own pieces and ranks, such as P-K4 or N-KB3.
- [Desperado piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/desperado-piece.md): A desperado is a doomed piece that cashes in before it dies. When a piece cannot be saved, the question changes.
- [Development in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/development.md): Development means bringing your pieces from their starting squares to active posts, usually by moving the knights and bishops out.
- [Diagonal in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/diagonal.md): A diagonal is the slanting path a bishop travels, a straight run of squares of a single color from one edge of the board to a neighboring edge.
- [Diagonal opposition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/diagonal-opposition.md): Diagonal opposition is the standoff in which the two kings sit on the same diagonal with exactly one empty square between them.
- [Disambiguation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/disambiguation.md): Disambiguation is the extra letter or number added to a written move when two identical pieces can move to the same square, such as Nbd2 or R1e2.
- [Discovered attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/discovered-attack.md): In a discovered attack one of your pieces steps off a line, and that move unmasks a bishop, rook or queen standing behind it.
- [Discovered check in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/discovered-check.md): A discovered check is a check from a piece that did not move: a bishop, rook or queen is unmasked when the piece in front of it leaves the line to the king.
- [Distant opposition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/distant-opposition.md): Distant opposition is the long-range form of the kings' standoff. Kings often have to make decisions long before they meet.
- [Domination in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/domination.md): Domination is a plan in which your pieces and pawns watch every exit of one enemy piece, so that it can neither move safely nor contribute.
- [Double attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-attack.md): A double attack is one move that creates two threats at once, whether they come from a single piece or from two, and whether they aim at pieces or at checkmate.
- [Double check in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-check.md): A double check is a single move that puts the enemy king under attack from two pieces simultaneously, typically one that moved and one it unmasked.
- [Double round robin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/double-round-robin.md): A double round-robin tournament is a round-robin format in which every pair of players meets twice, once with each color.
- [Doubled pawns in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/doubled-pawns.md): Doubled pawns are two of one side's pawns stacked on the same file, usually after a capture. The stacked pair has real drawbacks.
- [Dragon structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dragon-structure.md): The Sicilian setup where Black plays ...g6 and ...Bg7 with pawns on d6 and e7. The Black king usually castles kingside behind pawns on f7, g6 and h7.
- [Draw by agreement in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/draw-by-agreement.md): A draw by agreement ends the game with a half point each when both players settle on a draw. Most draws between strong players are agreed rather than forced.
- [Draw offer in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/draw-offer.md): A draw offer is a proposal to end the game in a draw; under the Laws it is made after you move and before you press your clock, carries no conditions.
- [Dynamic play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dynamic-play.md): Dynamic play is a style of handling a position that prizes activity, initiative and fast-changing threats over lasting structural features.
- [Early queen move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/early-queen-move.md): An early queen move is bringing the queen out in the first few moves, before the minor pieces are developed. The opponent develops for free while you shuffle.
- [Elo rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/elo-rating.md): An Elo rating is a number that estimates playing strength from results. Its central idea is that rating differences predict scores.
- [Endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/endgame.md): The endgame is the stage that follows heavy trading, when too little material remains for mating attacks to dominate.
- [Endgame study in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/endgame-study.md): Endgame study is the focused practice of reduced-material positions, learning the basic checkmates. Endgames reward exact knowledge more than any other phase.
- [Endgame tablebase in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/endgame-tablebase.md): An endgame tablebase is a precomputed database that gives the exact result and best moves for every position with a small number of pieces.
- [Engine analysis in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/engine-analysis.md): Engine analysis is the use of a chess program to search a position and report which moves are strongest, along with a numeric evaluation.
- [Epaulette mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/epaulette-mate.md): An epaulette mate is a checkmate in which a queen checks a king whose two side squares are occupied by its own pieces, usually rooks.
- [Evaluation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation.md): An evaluation is a numerical judgment of who stands better in a position, usually given in pawns from White’s point of view.
- [Evaluation bar in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation-bar.md): The evaluation bar is a vertical or horizontal gauge beside the board that shows, with a bar of black and white.
- [Exchange advantage in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-advantage.md): Being up the exchange means you hold a rook while the opponent holds a bishop or knight in its place. The rook's strength depends on open lines.
- [Exchange sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-sacrifice.md): An exchange sacrifice gives up a rook, worth five points, to capture a bishop or knight, worth three. Before you play it, count what you get back.
- [Fair play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fair-play.md): Fair play is the rule that every game must be decided by the players' own thinking, which means no engine help.
- [FEN in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fen.md): FEN is a compact line of text that records a chess position. FEN stands for Forsyth-Edwards Notation. It has six fields separated by spaces.
- [Fianchetto in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fianchetto.md): A fianchetto is the setup where a bishop sits on b2, g2, b7 or g7 behind a pawn that has moved one square, so that it eyes the long diagonal from a distance.
- [Fianchetto setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fianchetto-setup.md): A fianchetto setup is a whole formation built around a bishop on a long diagonal, typically pawn to g3, bishop to g2, knight to f3 and short castling.
- [FIDE in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide.md): FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation, is the international body that publishes the Laws of Chess.
- [FIDE Master in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide-master.md): FIDE Master is the third open FIDE title, below International Master. The title is valid for life from the date the FIDE Council confirms it, like the others.
- [FIDE rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide-rating.md): A FIDE rating is the Elo-based number that the World Chess Federation publishes each month for players with rated games, with a published minimum of 1400.
- [Fifty-move rule in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fifty-move-rule.md): The fifty-move rule lets the player on move claim a draw once fifty moves by each side have been completed with no pawn move and no capture.
- [File in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/file.md): A file is one of the eight vertical columns of the chessboard, labeled a to h from White’s left to right, and a key line along which rooks.
- [Fivefold repetition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fivefold-repetition.md): Fivefold repetition is the rule that a game is drawn automatically, with no claim needed, once the same position has appeared at least five times.
- [Flagging in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/flagging.md): Flagging is winning, or claiming to win, on time because an opponent's clock has run out; the flag-fall loses the game.
- [Flank attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/flank-attack.md): A flank attack is an offensive on a wing, typically by pawn advances supported by pieces. Rooks, a queen and a knight often join, sometimes after a rook lift.
- [Flank opening in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/flank-opening.md): A flank opening is a first move by White, such as 1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.b3 or 1.f4. The appeal is choice. Each first move still works on the center.
- [Fluid center in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fluid-center.md): A fluid center is a central pawn setup that stays unfixed and flexible, with neither side committing to a locked structure.
- [Fool's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fools-mate.md): Fool's mate is the quickest checkmate possible. The pawns on f2 and g2 are the guards of White's king diagonal at the start.
- [Forfeit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/forfeit.md): A forfeit is a loss awarded without a finished game, for example when a player arrives after the default time, persistently refuses to follow the Laws.
- [Fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fork.md): A fork is a move that leaves one of your pieces threatening two enemy pieces together. The geometry depends on the piece.
- [Fortress in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fortress.md): A fortress is a position the weaker side can hold indefinitely. A fortress is any arrangement that blocks all of those routes at once.
- [French structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/french-structure.md): The pawn chain where White has pawns on d4 and e5 against Black pawns on d5 and e6. The classical rule is to attack the base of the enemy chain.
- [Frontal checks in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/frontal-checks.md): Frontal checks are rook checks given from in front of the enemy king, facing the direction in which it is moving, as opposed to checks given from behind.
- [Gambit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/gambit.md): A gambit is an opening offer of material, nearly always a pawn, that the offering side makes on purpose in return for time, open lines or central control.
- [Game review in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review.md): A game review is an automatic engine pass over a finished game that marks each move, shows how the evaluation changed and points out the turning points.
- [Game review habit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review-habit.md): A game review habit is the routine of going back over your own games soon after playing them, first by yourself and then with an engine.
- [Glicko rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/glicko-rating.md): A Glicko rating is a rating that comes with an uncertainty value, the rating deviation. Open a Lichess profile and the number you see is a Glicko-2 rating.
- [Good bishop in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/good-bishop.md): A good bishop is one whose own pawns mainly stand on the other color from the squares it travels on, so its diagonals stay open and it can reach the enemy camp.
- [Grandmaster in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/grandmaster.md): Grandmaster is the highest title FIDE awards for over-the-board standard chess. Getting to Grandmaster is a two-part test, and both parts must be met.
- [Grandmaster norm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/grandmaster-norm.md): A Grandmaster norm is a title performance of at least 2600 against opponents averaging at least 2380. A Grandmaster norm needs several things at once.
- [Greek gift sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/greek-gift-sacrifice.md): The Greek gift sacrifice is a bishop sacrifice on h7, or h2 for Black, played as Bxh7+ Kxh7. The idea is to drag the king out of its pawn cover.
- [Grunfeld structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/grunfeld-structure.md): A structure where White builds a big pawn center on c3, d4 and e4 while Black attacks it with pieces and the pawn break ...c5.
- [Half-move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-move.md): A half-move, also called a ply, is a single turn by one side, so a full move in chess notation consists of two half-moves, one by White and one by Black.
- [Half-open file in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-open-file.md): A half-open file is a file on which one side has no pawn while the opponent still does. A half-open file is one where only one player still has a pawn.
- [Hanging pawns in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hanging-pawns.md): Hanging pawns are two neighboring pawns, typically c4 and d4 for White. They also give the owner's rooks and bishops plenty of room behind them.
- [Hanging piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hanging-piece.md): A hanging piece is a piece that is attacked by the opponent and has no defender, so it can be captured for free unless its owner moves it.
- [Hedgehog structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hedgehog-structure.md): The Hedgehog structure is a crouched Black formation with pawns on a6, b6, d6 and e6 facing a White clamp on c4 and e4.
- [Hook mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hook-mate.md): A hook mate is a checkmate in which a rook gives check next to the king, a knight guards the rook, a pawn guards the knight.
- [Horde chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/horde-chess.md): Horde chess is a variant in which White has a large mass of pawns instead of the usual army, while Black plays with the normal set of pieces.
- [Hyperbullet in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hyperbullet.md): Hyperbullet is an extremely fast online format with only a few seconds, often fifteen or thirty, for the whole game.
- [Hypermodern opening in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/hypermodern-opening.md): A hypermodern opening is a bet that a pawn center can be undermined. In both, the fight for the center is not avoided but postponed.
- [Illegal move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/illegal-move.md): An illegal move is one that breaks the rules of how a piece moves or leaves your own king in check; in over-the-board play it is corrected.
- [Inaccuracy in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/inaccuracy.md): An inaccuracy is the mildest error label in game review. The exact cutoff differs between tools, so there is no single agreed size.
- [Increment in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/increment.md): An increment is a small amount of time added to a player clock after each move. The main benefit is fairness near the end of the game.
- [Initiative in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/initiative.md): Initiative is being the side that makes the threats and sets the pace of play, so the opponent spends their moves answering instead of pursuing their own plans.
- [Insufficient material in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/insufficient-material.md): Insufficient material is the situation where the pieces left on the board could not produce checkmate for either side even if the opponent cooperated fully.
- [Insufficient mating material in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/insufficient-mating-material.md): Insufficient mating material describes a position in which neither side has enough pieces to deliver checkmate by any legal sequence.
- [Interference in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/interference.md): Interference is a tactic in which you land a piece on the line joining two enemy pieces that depend on each other.
- [International Master in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/international-master.md): International Master is the second-highest FIDE open title, below Grandmaster, earned through IM norms and a rating of at least 2400 reached at some time.
- [International Master norm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/international-master-norm.md): An International Master norm is a title performance of at least 2450 against opponents averaging at least 2230.
- [Invitational tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/invitational-tournament.md): An invitational tournament is an event where the organizer chooses the participants. In an invitational, someone decides who plays.
- [Isolated pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/isolated-pawn.md): An isolated pawn is a pawn with no friendly pawn on either neighboring file. The isolated pawn has a good side too.
- [Isolated queen's pawn structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/isolated-queens-pawn-structure.md): A structure in which one side has a pawn on d4 (or d5) with no friendly pawns on the c- or e-files, giving active pieces and attacking chances.
- [Italian setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/italian-setup.md): The Italian setup is a White formation after e4 and Nf3 with the bishop on c4 aimed at f7, usually supported by c3 and d3.
- [K-factor in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/k-factor.md): The K-factor is the multiplier in an Elo-style rating update that sets how many points a rating can move after a result.
- [Key squares in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/key-squares.md): Key squares are the target squares for the attacking king in a pawn ending. The pawn usually waits, because pushing it early moves the targets forward too.
- [King in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king.md): The king moves one square in any direction or castles, may never be left in check or moved into check, and is never captured.
- [King activity in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-activity.md): King activity describes how freely a king can take part in the endgame, by centralizing, attacking enemy pawns and supporting its own.
- [King and pawn endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-and-pawn-endgame.md): A king and pawn endgame is an ending in which only kings and pawns remain, so the result depends on promotion races, king placement, opposition.
- [King and queen checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-and-queen-checkmate.md): King and queen checkmate is the basic ending in which a king and queen force mate against a lone king. The one real danger is stalemate.
- [King and rook checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-and-rook-checkmate.md): King and rook checkmate is the basic ending in which a king and rook force mate against a lone king, by pushing it to an edge with the help of the opposition.
- [King in the center in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-in-the-center.md): A king in the center is a king that has not yet castled and still stands on its starting file. That choice should be backed by concrete analysis, not hope.
- [King of the Hill in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-of-the-hill.md): King of the Hill is a chess variant in which a player wins immediately by moving their king onto one of the four central squares, d4, d5, e4 or e5.
- [King safety in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-safety.md): King safety is the degree to which a king is protected from attack, as determined by its pawn cover, the defenders nearby.
- [King's Indian structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/kings-indian-structure.md): The King's Indian structure arises when White's pawns on c4, d4 and e4 meet Black's pawns on d6 and e5; once White pushes d5 the center locks.
- [Kingside castling in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/kingside-castling.md): Kingside castling is a move in which the king steps two squares toward the h-file rook and that rook jumps to the square the king crossed.
- [Kingside pawn storm structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/kingside-pawn-storm-structure.md): A kingside pawn storm structure arises when the center is locked. That frees the pawns on that wing to advance as a battering ram.
- [Knight in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight.md): The knight moves to one of the nearest squares that is not on its own rank, file or diagonal, an L-shaped jump.
- [Knight endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight-endgame.md): A knight endgame is an ending in which each side has a knight and pawns, where king activity and the pawn count usually decide the result, and where the slow.
- [Knight fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight-fork.md): A knight fork is a move that places a knight on a square from which it attacks two or more enemy pieces at once, so the opponent cannot save them all.
- [Knight versus bishop in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knight-versus-bishop.md): Knight versus bishop describes positions where one side has a knight and the other a bishop; the better piece depends on the pawn structure.
- [Knockout tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knockout-tournament.md): In a knockout tournament, entrants are placed into a bracket and each pairing is a match or a short series. A knockout bracket halves the field in each stage.
- [Ladder mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/ladder-mate.md): A ladder mate is a checkmate on the edge of the board in which two rooks, or a rook and a queen. Two long-range pieces are all that this technique needs.
- [Lead in development in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/lead-in-development.md): A lead in development means having more of your pieces already active than your opponent has at the same moment.
- [Legal's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/legals-mate.md): Legal's mate is an opening trap in which White lets Black capture the queen and then checkmates with a bishop and two knights.
- [London system setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/london-system-setup.md): The London system setup is a White plan that brings the dark-squared bishop to f4 before e3 can shut it in, then builds a sturdy triangle of pawns on c3.
- [Long algebraic notation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/long-algebraic-notation.md): Long algebraic notation is the fuller form of algebraic notation in which each move lists its square of departure as well as its square of arrival.
- [Long side in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/long-side.md): The long side is the side of a pawn's file with more files between it and the edge of the board, giving a rook more room to check from far away.
- [Loose piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/loose-piece.md): A loose piece is a piece that no friendly piece or pawn protects. Loose pieces are the raw material of many tactics.
- [Lucena position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/lucena-position.md): The Lucena position is the key winning setup in rook and pawn against rook. Picture the attacker's pawn on d7 with its own king on d8.
- [Main line in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/main-line.md): The main line is the sequence of moves most often played in an opening, the one considered the most critical test.
- [Maroczy bind in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/maroczy-bind.md): The Maroczy bind is White's grip with pawns on c4 and e4 in a Sicilian-type structure where White's d-pawn has been traded.
- [Match play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/match-play.md): Match play is a format in which two players, or two teams. Match play strips a contest down to one pairing. The format shows up at every level.
- [Material advantage in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/material-advantage.md): A material advantage means one side has more total piece value on the board than the other, for example an extra pawn or an extra piece.
- [Material imbalance in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/material-imbalance.md): A material imbalance arises when the two sides own different kinds of material, such as a rook against two minor pieces or a queen against rook and bishop.
- [Mating attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mating-attack.md): A mating attack is a sustained assault on the enemy king, usually built from several pieces and often with sacrifices.
- [Mating net in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mating-net.md): A mating net is a setup in which the enemy king is surrounded by attackers and its own pieces so tightly that checkmate cannot be avoided.
- [Minimax in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/minimax.md): Minimax is a decision method in which one side tries to maximize the evaluation while the opponent tries to minimize it.
- [Minor piece endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/minor-piece-endgame.md): A minor piece endgame is an ending in which each side has only bishops or knights besides the kings and pawns, so the fight turns on piece activity.
- [Minority attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/minority-attack.md): A minority attack is a plan in which two or three pawns advance against a bigger enemy pawn group on the same wing.
- [Mirror defense in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mirror-defense.md): A mirror defense is a strategy where Black copies White's moves, keeping a symmetrical position. A second danger is a check or a direct threat.
- [Missed win in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/missed-win.md): A missed win is a game review label for a move that fails to take a clearly winning continuation, so a decisive advantage shrinks to something much smaller.
- [Mistake in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mistake.md): A mistake is a game review label for a move that clearly worsens a position, costing a meaningful share of the advantage.
- [Morphy's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/morphys-mate.md): Morphy's mate is a checkmate against a king in the corner in which a bishop gives check along the long diagonal while a rook controls the neighboring file.
- [Move order in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/move-order.md): Move order is the sequence in which moves are played to reach a given setup. In the opening that often decides which lines the opponent is able to enter.
- [Mutual zugzwang in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mutual-zugzwang.md): A mutual zugzwang is a position in which whichever player has to move is worse off, so each side would gladly pass.
- [Najdorf structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/najdorf-structure.md): The Sicilian Najdorf pawn setup after ...a6 and ...e5, with Black pawns on a6, d6 and e5 against White's e4. The ...d5 break is often White's biggest worry.
- [National federation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/national-federation.md): A national federation is the chess body that represents a country within FIDE; players register through it to appear on the rating list.
- [Neural network engine in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/neural-network-engine.md): A neural network engine uses a trained neural network to evaluate positions, and NNUE, the efficiently updatable neural network added to Stockfish.
- [Norm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm.md): A norm is a tournament result that meets the FIDE title standard for performance rating and opponent mix; several norms across enough games can earn a title.
- [Norm tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm-tournament.md): A norm tournament is an event organized with the conditions that let players score a title norm, such as the right mix of opponents.
- [Novelty in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/novelty.md): A novelty is a move that has not been played before in a known position of an opening. Players prepare novelties in advance.
- [Online rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/online-rating.md): An online rating is the number a website or app computes from games played on that platform. Every platform builds its own rating pool.
- [Open file in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/open-file.md): An open file is a vertical column of the board with no pawns of either color on it, which gives rooks and queens a clear path to invade the opponent's position.
- [Open game in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/open-game.md): An open game is a position or opening in which the central pawns have been exchanged or are absent. In such positions, speed counts.
- [Open Sicilian in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/open-sicilian.md): The Open Sicilian is the family of Sicilian Defense lines in which White plays d4 and exchanges the d-pawn for Black's c-pawn.
- [Open tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/open-tournament.md): An open tournament accepts any entrant who meets the basic entry rules, whatever their rating or title, so that beginners.
- [Opening in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening.md): The opening is the first stage of a chess game, running from the starting position until most pieces have left their home squares and the kings are safe.
- [Opening book in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-book.md): An opening book is a database of opening moves and positions that an engine or program consults to play known theory quickly.
- [Opening explorer in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-explorer.md): An opening explorer is a tool that shows, for any position reached from the start. An opening explorer sits on top of a large collection of games.
- [Opening preparation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-preparation.md): Opening preparation is the work done before a game to know your chosen lines well. Opening preparation is the study you do away from the board.
- [Opening principles in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-principles.md): Opening principles are general guidelines for the first moves. Opening principles are simple rules of thumb that guide you when you do not know the theory.
- [Opening repertoire in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-repertoire.md): An opening repertoire is the personal menu of opening lines a player has decided to rely on, so that with either color they know where they are heading.
- [Opening theory in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opening-theory.md): Opening theory is the body of knowledge about the opening, made up of the known moves. Theory is organized by opening and variation.
- [Opera mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opera-mate.md): An opera mate is a back-rank checkmate in which a rook delivers mate on the eighth rank while a bishop guards that rook.
- [Opponent preparation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opponent-preparation.md): Opponent preparation is the work of studying a known opponent's past games and habits before a round so you can choose openings and plans.
- [Opposite-colored bishops in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-colored-bishops.md): Opposite-colored bishops are bishops that run on different shades of squares, so neither side can attack or exchange the other's bishop.
- [Opposite-side castling in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-side-castling.md): Opposite-side castling occurs when the two players castle on different wings, one kingside and one queenside. Be honest about the count.
- [Opposition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposition.md): Opposition is a standoff between the two kings on one file or rank with a single empty square between them; whoever does not have to move holds it.
- [Out of book in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/out-of-book.md): A player is out of book when the game reaches a position that neither side is recalling from opening knowledge or preparation.
- [Outpost in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/outpost.md): An outpost is an advanced square, usually in the opponent's half of the board, that is protected by one of your own pawns.
- [Outside passed pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/outside-passed-pawn.md): An outside passed pawn is a passer on a distant wing that works as a decoy. Think of the pawn as a bill the defender must pay in moves.
- [Overloading in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/overloading.md): Overloading is a tactic against a single defender that has two jobs at once, so that when you win one of the things it guards.
- [Overprotection in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/overprotection.md): Overprotection is the practice of guarding an important pawn, square or piece more times than the opponent's threats demand.
- [Pairing in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pairing.md): A pairing is the assignment of two players to meet in a round, together with the colors each will have. FIDE's handling rules give the process some structure.
- [Passed pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/passed-pawn.md): A passed pawn has a clear road to promotion as far as enemy pawns are concerned. A quick test works on any board.
- [Passive rook in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/passive-rook.md): A passive rook is stuck guarding a pawn or a square, often on its back rank or in front of its own pawn, with little scope to attack.
- [Pattern recognition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pattern-recognition.md): Pattern recognition is the ability to see familiar arrangements of pieces and pawns, such as tactical motifs and typical structures.
- [Pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn.md): The pawn moves one square straight forward, or two from its starting square, captures one square diagonally forward, and is exchanged for a queen, rook.
- [Pawn break in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-break.md): A pawn break is a pawn move that makes contact with an enemy pawn or chain. Take the French Defense after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5.
- [Pawn breakthrough in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-breakthrough.md): A pawn breakthrough is a sacrifice of one or more pawns that tears open the opposing pawn chain so that a remaining pawn can run through and promote.
- [Pawn center in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-center.md): A pawn center is a group of one or more pawns, most often on d4 and e4 or d5 and e5, that occupies the central squares and takes space from the opponent.
- [Pawn chain in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-chain.md): A pawn chain is a string of friendly pawns on a diagonal, each guarded by the pawn behind it, so only the rearmost pawn, the base.
- [Pawn fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-fork.md): A pawn fork is a pawn move that attacks two enemy pieces at once, one on each of the two diagonal squares ahead of the pawn, so only one of them can escape.
- [Pawn island in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-island.md): A pawn island is a cluster of one side's pawns on neighboring files, separated from that side's other pawns by a file without any of its pawns.
- [Pawn lever in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-lever.md): A pawn lever is a pawn that stands in direct contact with an enemy pawn. Think of a lever as a pawn that is pulling on the opponent's structure.
- [Pawn majority in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-majority.md): A pawn majority is a larger number of pawns on one wing or in one area of the board than the opponent has there, giving the chance to create a passed pawn.
- [Pawn promotion race in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-promotion-race.md): A pawn promotion race is a position where both sides push passed pawns toward promotion. Being first is usually not enough on its own.
- [Pawn shield in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-shield.md): A pawn shield is the group of pawns standing directly in front of a castled king, typically on the f, g and h files or the a, b and c files.
- [Pawn storm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-storm.md): A pawn storm is the advance of several pawns together toward the enemy king, usually after the kings have castled on opposite wings.
- [Pawn tension in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-tension.md): Pawn tension is a standoff between two pawns that attack one another across a diagonal, where a capture. Put a white pawn on d4 and a black pawn on c5.
- [Perpetual check in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/perpetual-check.md): A perpetual check is a run of checks that the defending king cannot sidestep, so the same positions recur and the game is drawn by repetition.
- [PGN in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pgn.md): PGN is a text-file standard for chess games. Open a PGN file in any text editor and you see a few lines in square brackets, then the moves.
- [Philidor position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/philidor-position.md): The Philidor position is the textbook draw for the side with the lone rook. The defending king stands right in front of the pawn.
- [Piece activity in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece-activity.md): Piece activity describes how much influence a piece exerts, measured by the squares it controls, the targets it eyes and the freedom it has to move.
- [Piece coordination in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece-coordination.md): Piece coordination is the degree to which your pieces support one another and work toward the same target. Good coordination means your pieces work as a team.
- [Piece domination in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece-domination.md): Piece domination is a position in which an enemy piece cannot move without being captured. If the answer is zero or close to it, domination is on the board.
- [Piece exchange in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece-exchange.md): A piece exchange is a trade in which each side gives up a piece of roughly equal value, usually by capture and recapture, changing the balance of attackers.
- [Piece value in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/piece-value.md): Piece value is the rough points scale players use to compare material: a pawn counts one, a knight and a bishop three each, a rook five and a queen nine.
- [Pillsbury's mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pillsburys-mate.md): Pillsbury's mate is a checkmate in which a rook checks along the g-file while a bishop on the long diagonal covers g7 and h8.
- [Pin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pin.md): A pin ties a piece to its square: a bishop, rook or queen attacks it, and stepping aside would expose a more valuable piece standing behind it on the same line.
- [Plateau in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/plateau.md): A plateau is a long stretch in which a player's results and rating stop improving despite regular play. Almost every player meets a plateau.
- [Poisoned pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/poisoned-pawn.md): A poisoned pawn is a pawn that can be captured. The pawn looks free, and that is exactly the trap. A pawn up is no comfort if the game ends two moves later.
- [Positional play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/positional-play.md): Positional play is the approach of making decisions from lasting features such as pawn structure, space, piece placement and weak squares.
- [Positional sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/positional-sacrifice.md): A positional sacrifice gives up material, usually a pawn or the exchange, not for a forced tactical gain but for lasting benefits such as space, a safer king.
- [Post-game analysis in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/post-game-analysis.md): Post-game analysis is the discussion or private review held right after a game. Many players quickly walk away from a loss, which wastes that chance.
- [Pre-game routine in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pre-game-routine.md): A pre-game routine is a short, repeatable set of habits before a round, covering food, rest, light warm-up and a calm mindset.
- [Premove in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/premove.md): A premove is a move entered on an online board before the opponent has replied. This saves the time it takes to move the piece with your mouse.
- [Principal variation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/principal-variation.md): The principal variation is the line of best play for both sides that an engine has found, shown as a sequence of moves and tied to the evaluation it reports.
- [Principle of two weaknesses in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/principle-of-two-weaknesses.md): The principle of two weaknesses holds that one weakness can usually be defended, so the attacker creates or finds a second weakness far away.
- [Promotion in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/promotion.md): Promotion is the compulsory change of a pawn that reaches the last rank into a queen, rook, bishop or knight of its own color.
- [Prophylaxis in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/prophylaxis.md): Prophylaxis is the strategic habit of spotting what your opponent wants to do next and making a move that quietly prevents it.
- [Protected passed pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/protected-passed-pawn.md): A protected passed pawn is a pawn that no enemy pawn can block or capture on its way to promotion and that has a friendly pawn diagonally behind it.
- [Provisional rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/provisional-rating.md): A provisional rating is an early estimate of strength built from only a few games. US Chess calls a rating established once it rests on more than 25 games.
- [Puzzle rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/puzzle-rating.md): A puzzle rating is a number that estimates how hard a tactical puzzle you can reliably solve. Each puzzle has a difficulty number, and each solver has one too.
- [Puzzle theme in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/puzzle-theme.md): A puzzle theme is a label for the tactical idea a puzzle teaches, such as a fork, a pin or a back rank mate, so that training can be grouped by pattern.
- [Queen in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queen.md): The queen moves any number of squares along a rank, file or diagonal, provided the path is clear, which makes her the most powerful piece on the board.
- [Queen endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queen-endgame.md): A queen endgame is an ending in which each side still has a queen, usually with a few pawns, where checks. King safety is the first thing to judge.
- [Queen sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queen-sacrifice.md): A queen sacrifice gives up the strongest piece on the board, usually with a check or a capture. Forcing moves matter most.
- [Queen versus pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queen-versus-pawn.md): Queen versus pawn is an endgame in which a queen faces an enemy pawn that is about to promote. In general the queen wins.
- [Queen versus rook in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queen-versus-rook.md): Queen versus rook is an endgame in which one side has a queen and the other a rook, with no other pieces, and the queen wins in general but only after patient.
- [Queenside castling in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queenside-castling.md): Queenside castling is a move in which the king steps two squares toward the a-file rook and that rook jumps over to the square the king crossed.
- [Queenside majority structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/queenside-majority-structure.md): A pawn structure where one side has more pawns on the queenside than the opponent, such as three against two, and can create a passed pawn there.
- [Quiet move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/quiet-move.md): A quiet move is a move that makes no capture and gives no check, yet creates a decisive threat or removes the opponent's last defense.
- [Rank in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rank.md): A rank is any of the eight horizontal rows of the chessboard; FIDE numbers them 1 to 8 beginning on White's side.
- [Rapid chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-chess.md): Rapid chess is a medium speed format, with each player getting roughly ten to sixty minutes. Rapid sits between blitz and classical.
- [Rapid playoff in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md): A rapid playoff is a short extra game or mini match, played at a faster time control, that decides the winner after players tie in a tournament or match.
- [Rapid rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-rating.md): A rapid rating is a rating earned in rapid games, kept apart from the standard rating, so the same player can hold different numbers for slow.
- [Rating category in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-category.md): A rating category is a band of ratings, often 200 points wide, that groups players of similar strength so they can be sectioned, paired.
- [Rating floor in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-floor.md): A rating floor is a lowest value below which a rating is not allowed to fall, either as a list-wide minimum or as a personal level protected by an earlier peak.
- [Rating list in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-list.md): A rating list is the published table of every player's current rating. A rating list solves that by freezing everyone's number at one moment and publishing it.
- [Rating performance in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-performance.md): A rating performance is the rating a player seems to have played at in one event. Your rating is a long-run estimate.
- [Rating system in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-system.md): A rating system is a method that turns game results into a number for each player, rising after wins against strong opponents and falling after losses.
- [Refutation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/refutation.md): A refutation is a reply that shows an opening move, line or idea to be unsound by punishing it concretely. Calling a line "refuted" is a strong claim.
- [Relative pin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/relative-pin.md): A relative pin is a pin in which the piece behind the pinned piece is more valuable but is not the king. The rules do not forbid the pinned piece from moving.
- [Removing the defender in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/removing-the-defender.md): Removing the defender means getting rid of the one piece that protects a target, by capturing it or forcing it to move.
- [Repertoire building in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/repertoire-building.md): Repertoire building is the process of choosing a small set of openings that suit your style and then learning their ideas.
- [Reserve tempo in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/reserve-tempo.md): A reserve tempo is a spare, harmless move, usually a pawn move, that one side can make without damaging its position.
- [Resignation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/resignation.md): Resignation is a player's declaration that they give up the game, which ends it as a loss for that player unless the opponent could never checkmate.
- [Resilience in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/resilience.md): Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from a blunder. Positions after mistakes are often still fighting positions.
- [Restriction in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/restriction.md): Restriction is a strategic technique of limiting the opponent's useful moves, pawn breaks and piece routes so their position has few constructive options.
- [Reti maneuver in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/reti-maneuver.md): The Reti maneuver is a king walk that heads for two goals at once, usually stopping a distant passed pawn while also supporting the king's own pawn.
- [Rook in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook.md): The rook moves any number of squares along its rank or file, provided the path is clear, and it takes part in castling alongside the king.
- [Rook and pawn versus rook in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-and-pawn-versus-rook.md): Rook and pawn versus rook is the ending where one side has a rook and a single pawn against a lone rook. That method carries Philidor's name.
- [Rook endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-endgame.md): A rook endgame is an ending in which each side has a rook and some pawns and no other pieces, and it is the most common type of endgame.
- [Rook lift in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-lift.md): A rook lift is a maneuver in which a rook is raised from its back rank to the third, fourth or fifth rank. The classic use is in an attack.
- [Rook pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-pawn.md): A rook pawn is a pawn on the a-file or the h-file, the edge of the board, which has fewer capture options and gives the attacker less room to maneuver.
- [Rook versus minor piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-versus-minor-piece.md): Rook versus minor piece is an ending or imbalance in which one side has a rook and the other a bishop or knight.
- [Rook versus pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rook-versus-pawn.md): Rook versus pawn is an ending in which a rook faces a single pawn, usually a win for the rook. The first thing to check is distance.
- [Round robin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/round-robin.md): A round-robin tournament schedules each participant against every other participant exactly once from a fixed table.
- [Royal fork in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/royal-fork.md): A royal fork is a fork that attacks the enemy king and queen at the same time, most often with a knight, so the king must move and the queen is lost.
- [Rule of the square in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rule-of-the-square.md): The rule of the square is a shortcut for a lone pawn racing an enemy king. A pawn on c4 gives the square with corners c4, c8, g8 and g4.
- [Rules of chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rules-of-chess.md): The rules of chess are the Laws of Chess, the document FIDE publishes that sets out how pieces move, how a game ends, how clocks and records work.
- [Sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sacrifice.md): A sacrifice is a deliberate decision to give up material, such as a pawn, an exchange or a piece, in return for something else, like mate, a stronger attack.
- [Same-colored bishops in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/same-colored-bishops.md): Same-colored bishops are bishops that move on the same shade of squares, so they can challenge, exchange and defend against each other.
- [Scholastic tournament in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/scholastic-tournament.md): A scholastic tournament is an event for school-age players, usually organized in sections by grade or age, with prizes for individual students.
- [Scoresheet in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/scoresheet.md): A scoresheet is the paper or electronic form on which each player writes down all the moves of the game in algebraic notation.
- [Search depth in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/search-depth.md): Search depth is how many moves ahead an engine has looked in a position, counted in half-moves called plies. Glance at the depth before you rely on a score.
- [Second rank defense in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/second-rank-defense.md): Second rank defense is a rook-ending method in which the defender keeps the rook on its own second rank to stop the enemy king stepping up.
- [Sectional in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sectional.md): A sectional is a tournament section limited to players inside a set rating range. Each section is paired and scored separately and has its own prizes.
- [Seeding in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/seeding.md): Seeding is the ordering of players before a tournament starts, usually by rating. That ranking is the seeding.
- [Semi-open defense in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/semi-open-defense.md): A semi-open defense is any Black reply to 1.e4 other than 1...e5, such as 1...c6, 1...e6, 1...d6 or 1...c5. The name comes from the files.
- [Semi-open game in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/semi-open-game.md): A semi-open game starts with White's king pawn advancing two squares and Black declining to mirror it, choosing a defense such as the Sicilian.
- [Seventh rank in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/seventh-rank.md): The seventh rank is the rank where the opponent's pawns usually start. For White the seventh rank is the line running a7 to h7; for Black it is the second rank.
- [Seventy-five-move rule in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/seventy-five-move-rule.md): The seventy-five-move rule ends the game in a draw automatically when each player has made at least seventy-five moves without a pawn move or a capture.
- [Short side in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/short-side.md): The short side is the side of a pawn's file that has fewer files between it and the edge of the board. Getting this backwards is a well-known way to lose.
- [Shouldering in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/shouldering.md): Shouldering is a king maneuver in which one king steps into a square that cuts the opposing king off from a pawn or from the route toward it.
- [Sideline in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sideline.md): A sideline is a less common or less critical branch of an opening that is considered playable. The alternatives are sidelines.
- [Simplification in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/simplification.md): Simplification is the deliberate reduction of material and complexity, usually by trading pieces. When you are better, complexity is rarely your friend.
- [Simultaneous exhibition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/simultaneous-exhibition.md): A simultaneous exhibition is an event in which one strong player plays many opponents at once. The guests sit and wait.
- [Skewer in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/skewer.md): A skewer attacks a valuable piece that stands in front of a less valuable one on the same line. The front piece must run, and the piece behind it is then taken.
- [Slav structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/slav-structure.md): The solid Black setup with pawns on c6 and d5 that supports the center while keeping the c8 bishop free to develop outside the pawn chain, usually on f5 or g4.
- [Smothered mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/smothered-mate.md): A smothered mate is a knight checkmate against a king hemmed in by its own men. This is the one mate where the victim's own army does the work.
- [Sonneborn-Berger in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sonneborn-berger.md): Sonneborn-Berger is a tiebreak that adds, for every game, the opponent's final score multiplied by the points you took from them.
- [Space advantage in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/space-advantage.md): A space advantage means controlling more squares, usually through advanced pawns. The advantage is real but needs handling.
- [Spaced repetition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/spaced-repetition.md): Spaced repetition is a study method that revisits material at growing intervals, such as tactics, opening lines or endgame positions.
- [Spanish setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/spanish-setup.md): The Spanish setup is the White formation from the Ruy Lopez, with the bishop on b5 or a4 pressuring the knight on c6, and later c3.
- [Square in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/square.md): A square is one of the sixty-four light or dark cells of the chessboard, each identified by a unique letter and number such as e4.
- [Stalemate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/stalemate.md): Stalemate is a draw that occurs when the side on move has no legal move at all while its king is not attacked.
- [Stalemate trick in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/stalemate-trick.md): A stalemate trick is a resource for the side that is losing. That makes it a lifeline for the side that is behind.
- [Starting position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/starting-position.md): The starting position is the fixed arrangement at the start of every standard game. Before the first move the board is set up the same way every time.
- [Static advantage in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/static-advantage.md): A static advantage is a lasting feature of a position, such as a better pawn structure, a protected outpost, the bishop pair or a safer king.
- [Staunton pieces in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/staunton-pieces.md): Staunton pieces are the standard design of chess set used in tournaments, with a distinct silhouette for each piece.
- [Stockfish in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/stockfish.md): Stockfish is a free, open-source chess engine developed by a worldwide community. It can also use endgame tablebases to play some endgames perfectly.
- [Stonewall structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/stonewall-structure.md): A pawn formation with pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5 (for Black) or c3, d4. The structure's strength is control of the key central square in front of the wall.
- [Strategic plan in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/strategic-plan.md): A strategic plan is a coherent long-term idea for improving a position, usually chosen from its pawn structure, weaknesses and piece placement.
- [Strong center in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/strong-center.md): A strong center is a set of pawns and pieces holding the central squares, usually d4, e4, d5 and e5. The usual mistake is overextending.
- [Study plan in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/study-plan.md): A study plan is a written, realistic schedule that divides your chess training time among tactics, endgames, openings, game review and playing.
- [Sudden death in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md): Sudden death is a time control in which each player has one fixed amount of time for the whole game, with no extra time added.
- [Swallow's tail mate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/swallows-tail-mate.md): A swallow's tail mate is a checkmate in which a queen stands directly in front of the king, protected by another piece.
- [Swiss system in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/swiss-system.md): In a Swiss-system tournament the number of rounds is announced in advance, nobody is knocked out. Picture 120 players in one open.
- [Symmetrical position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/symmetrical-position.md): A symmetrical position is one where both sides have the same pawn structure and similar piece placement, so the fight depends on tempo.
- [System opening in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/system-opening.md): A system opening is a fixed setup that a player uses against almost any reply, such as the London or the King's Indian Attack.
- [Syzygy tablebases in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/syzygy-tablebases.md): Syzygy tablebases are a compact set of endgame tablebases created by Ronald de Man that cover endgames up to seven pieces.
- [Tabiya in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tabiya.md): A tabiya is a standard, well known position that arises in a particular opening after a sequence of typical moves.
- [Tactic in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tactic.md): A tactic is a short, forcing sequence of moves that exploits a concrete feature of the position, such as a fork, pin or unprotected piece, to win material.
- [Tactical motif in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tactical-motif.md): A tactical motif is a recurring pattern, such as a fork, pin or skewer. Strong players do not calculate every position from scratch.
- [Tactical play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tactical-play.md): Tactical play is a style of chess built on concrete, forcing calculation, using checks, captures, threats and combinations to win material or deliver mate.
- [Tactics training in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tactics-training.md): Tactics training is deliberate practice at spotting and calculating short forcing sequences, such as forks, pins and mating attacks, usually through puzzles.
- [Tarrasch rule in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tarrasch-rule.md): The Tarrasch rule holds that a rook usually belongs behind a passed pawn, whether the pawn is its own or the enemy's.
- [Team event in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/team-event.md): A team event is a competition in which players represent a side, individual games on several boards add up to a match result.
- [Tempo in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tempo.md): A tempo is a single move counted as a measure of time. Chess is a race, and each move you make is a tempo that you spend.
- [Theoretical draw in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/theoretical-draw.md): A theoretical draw is a position in which perfect play by both sides leads to a draw, so neither player can force a win no matter how many moves are left.
- [Theoretical win in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/theoretical-win.md): A theoretical win is a position in which one side can force victory against any defense. A theoretical win is the mirror image of a theoretical draw.
- [Thinking process in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/thinking-process.md): A thinking process is a consistent order of questions you follow on each move. A thinking process is simply a repeatable way of deciding.
- [Three-check chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/three-check-chess.md): Three-check chess uses the normal rules with one added way to win. In three-check chess, the pieces, board and moves are the same as in standard chess.
- [Threefold repetition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/threefold-repetition.md): Threefold repetition lets the player whose turn it is claim a draw once the same position has occurred at least three times.
- [Tiebreak in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md): A tiebreak is a rule that ranks players who finish on the same score, either by a calculation from the results or by extra games.
- [Tilt in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tilt.md): Tilt is a state of frustration or emotional disturbance after a setback, where a player stops thinking clearly, plays faster or more recklessly.
- [Time control in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md): A time control is the rule that sets how much thinking time each player gets in a game, and whether extra time is added per move.
- [Time management in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-management.md): Time management in chess is the skill of spending clock time where it matters most, thinking longer in critical positions and moving quickly in routine ones.
- [Time odds in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-odds.md): Time odds is a handicap in which one player is given less time on the clock than the other, so a stronger player can face a weaker one in a more balanced game.
- [Time scramble in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-scramble.md): A time scramble is the stage of a game when one or both players are very short of time and must play many moves quickly.
- [Title application in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-application.md): A title application is the formal request, made through a player's federation, for FIDE to confirm a title on the strength of norms.
- [Title requirement in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-requirement.md): A title requirement is a condition that FIDE sets for awarding a title, such as a rating level, a number of rated games.
- [Touch-move rule in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/touch-move-rule.md): Touch-move is the over-the-board rule that binds a player to a piece once it has been deliberately touched. Touching is judged by intent.
- [Transposition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/transposition.md): A transposition is a change of route, most often in the opening. Positions do not remember how they were reached.
- [Trap in the opening in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/trap-in-the-opening.md): A trap in the opening is a move or setup that invites a natural-looking reply, often a grab of material, which then loses to a prepared tactic.
- [Trapped piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/trapped-piece.md): A trapped piece cannot reach safety. Being attacked and being trapped are different things. Rooks can be trapped too, usually on an edge file by minor pieces.
- [Trebuchet in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/trebuchet.md): The trebuchet is a mutual zugzwang in which two kings stand on either side of a pair of locked pawns, each beside the enemy pawn.
- [Triangulation in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/triangulation.md): Triangulation is a way for a king to hand the move to the opponent. Kings cannot pass, but they can waste time on purpose.
- [Two bishops checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/two-bishops-checkmate.md): Two bishops checkmate is the ending in which a king and two bishops, one on light squares and one on dark squares, force mate against a lone king.
- [Two knights endgame in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/two-knights-endgame.md): The two knights endgame is the ending with a king and two knights against a bare king. Two knights and a king cannot force checkmate against a lone king.
- [Underpromotion in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/underpromotion.md): Underpromotion is promoting a pawn to a rook, bishop or knight instead of a queen, chosen because the lesser piece wins or draws more in the position at hand.
- [US Chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/us-chess-rating.md): A US Chess rating is the number the American federation assigns a player from results in its rated events; it is separate from a FIDE rating.
- [USCF in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/uscf.md): The USCF, now branded US Chess, is the official governing body for chess in the United States. The name matters when you read a rating.
- [Vacating sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/vacating-sacrifice.md): A vacating sacrifice gives up a piece so that it leaves, or is captured on, a square or line that another of your pieces needs.
- [Vancura position in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/vancura-position.md): The Vancura position is a drawing setup against a rook pawn on the sixth rank with its rook in front. Aim for the setup instead of waiting passively.
- [Visualization in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/visualization.md): Visualization is the ability to hold a chess position in your mind and picture how it changes after a series of moves, without moving the pieces on the board.
- [Waiting move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/waiting-move.md): A waiting move keeps your position exactly as strong as before and simply hands the opponent the obligation to move.
- [Weak pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/weak-pawn.md): A weak pawn is a pawn that is hard to defend with other pawns and so must be protected by pieces, making it a long-term target for the opponent.
- [Weak square in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/weak-square.md): A weak square, also called a hole, is a square that a player's own pawns can no longer guard. A weak square is one that you can no longer defend with a pawn.
- [Windmill in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/windmill.md): A windmill is a repeating pattern in which a rook moves away to give a discovered check, captures a piece, returns with check, and repeats.
- [Winning chances in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/winning-chances.md): Winning chances are an estimate of how likely each side is to win from a position. An engine's evaluation, such as plus two, is not a probability.
- [Woman FIDE Master in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/woman-fide-master.md): Woman FIDE Master is the third title in the women's FIDE series, awarded to a player who has reached a standard rating of at least 2100, without needing norms.
- [Woman Grandmaster in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/woman-grandmaster.md): Woman Grandmaster is the highest FIDE title in the women's series, earned through WGM norms and a rating of at least 2300.
- [Woman International Master in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/woman-international-master.md): Woman International Master is the second title in the women's FIDE series, earned through WIM norms and a rating of at least 2200.
- [World Chess Championship](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/world-chess-championship.md): The World Chess Championship is the match, run under FIDE regulations. The championship is a head-to-head match, not a tournament.
- [Worst-placed piece in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/worst-placed-piece.md): The worst-placed piece is the piece in your position doing the least. Bringing it to a useful square is often the most valuable move available.
- [Wrong rook pawn in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/wrong-rook-pawn.md): A wrong rook pawn is an a-pawn or h-pawn whose promotion square is the opposite color to its side's bishop, so king.
- [Wrong-colored bishop in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/wrong-colored-bishop.md): A wrong-colored bishop runs on the opposite color to the queening square of its side's rook pawn. The wrong bishop still has work to do before the king arrives.
- [X-ray attack in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/x-ray-attack.md): An x-ray is hidden pressure. The easiest way to understand an x-ray is to watch an exchange. Nothing attacks the queen yet.
- [Zwischenzug in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/zwischenzug.md): A zwischenzug, German for in-between move, interrupts a sequence both sides expect. Zwischenzug is the German word for an in-between move.
- [En Passant: Rule, Diagrams and Mistakes](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/en-passant.md): The en passant rule in one sentence, then six diagrams of every legal and illegal case, the three conditions and the mistakes players make with touch-move.
- [Scholar's Mate: How to Play It and Stop It](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/scholars-mate.md): Scholar's mate is a checkmate in four moves. See the full line on a board, how to defend it, how to punish it and what it teaches a beginner and a parent.
- [Zugzwang in Chess: Definition and Examples](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/zugzwang.md): Zugzwang is a position where every move makes things worse. The definition, mutual zugzwang, three diagrams and how to calculate it.

## Improve

- [Improve your chess rating by rating band](https://georgelichess.com/improve.md): A chess improvement plan for each Lichess rating band from 600 to 2400, with game and puzzle data and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 600 to 800 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-600-800.md): How to improve from 600 to 800 in chess: 23,283 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 800 to 1000 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-800-1000.md): How to improve from 800 to 1000 in chess: 82,202 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 1000 to 1200 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-1000-1200.md): How to improve from 1000 to 1200 in chess: 165,494 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 1200 to 1400 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-1200-1400.md): How to improve from 1200 to 1400 in chess: 255,171 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 1400 to 1600 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-1400-1600.md): How to improve from 1400 to 1600 in chess: 327,869 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 1600 to 1800 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-1600-1800.md): How to improve from 1600 to 1800 in chess: 345,536 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 1800 to 2000 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-1800-2000.md): How to improve from 1800 to 2000 in chess: 260,613 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 2000 to 2200 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-2000-2200.md): How to improve from 2000 to 2200 in chess: 114,990 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.
- [How to improve from 2200 to 2400 in chess](https://georgelichess.com/improve/rating-2200-2400.md): How to improve from 2200 to 2400 in chess: 33,486 Lichess games on 1 September 2026, common puzzle themes and a weekly routine for 3, 6 or 10 hours.

## Titles

- [FIDE chess titles](https://georgelichess.com/titles.md): How each FIDE title is earned: Candidate Master and FIDE Master by rating, International Master and Grandmaster by norms and rating, with Handbook clauses.
- [How to become a Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/grandmaster.md): The norm games, performance level and rating FIDE asks for the Grandmaster title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.
- [How to become an International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/international-master.md): The norm games, performance level and rating FIDE asks for the International Master title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.
- [How to become a FIDE Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/fide-master.md): The rating and rated games FIDE asks for the FIDE Master title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.
- [How to become a Candidate Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/candidate-master.md): CM in chess is the Candidate Master title. The rating and rated games FIDE asks for it, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.
- [How to become a Woman Grandmaster](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-grandmaster.md): The norm games, performance level and rating FIDE asks for the Woman Grandmaster title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.
- [How to become a Woman International Master](https://georgelichess.com/titles/woman-international-master.md): The norm games, performance level and rating FIDE asks for the Woman International Master title, each with its Handbook clause, plus a checker.

## Guides

- [Chess guides](https://georgelichess.com/guides.md): Guides to chess coaching costs, choosing a coach, ratings, FIDE ratings and titles, and data pages built from public Lichess games, each with dated sources.
- [How much does chess coaching cost?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coaching-cost.md): Dated, sourced chess coaching prices: private lessons by coach title, small-group lessons and memberships, with each source and the day we read it.
- [Chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md): What a chess rating measures, how the FIDE, Lichess, US Chess and chess.com systems work, and why their numbers differ. Dated sources, no conversions.
- [How to choose a chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-choose-a-chess-coach.md): A neutral checklist for choosing a chess coach: what to decide first, questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
- [How to get a FIDE rating](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-a-fide-rating.md): How a player gets a first FIDE rating: five rated games, the 1400 floor, the two 1800 draws in the first calculation and a worked example, from the Handbook.
- [Chess coach vs chess course: how to choose](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coach-vs-chess-course.md): A chess coach builds lessons around your games; a chess course follows a set sequence. How they differ, when each fits and how to use both.
- [How to teach kids chess: a guide for parents](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-teach-kids-chess.md): How to teach a child chess: what to learn first, what a parent does at each stage, how to keep a child interested and when to bring in a coach.
- [Chess coach near me: online or in person](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coach-near-me.md): How coaching near you differs from an online chess coach, when each fits, the questions to ask any coach and how lessons with George Li work.
- [AI chess coach vs human chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/ai-chess-coach-vs-human-coach.md): What an AI chess coach does well, what a human coach adds, how the two compare and how to use an engine and a coach together.
- [Best Chess Openings for White, With Scores](https://georgelichess.com/best-chess-openings-for-white.md): Seven chess openings for White compared by score at each rating level, with the plan, the typical mistake and the idea to know for each, written by an IM.
- [Best Chess Openings, Ranked by Real Scores](https://georgelichess.com/best-chess-openings.md): The best chess openings for White and Black ranked by how they score at four rating bands in rated Lichess games, with the method and sample sizes stated.
- [How to Play Chess for Kids, in Pictures](https://georgelichess.com/chess-for-kids.md): Chess for kids explained in eight pictures: the board, each piece, how to win, and three first games to play with a parent, written for ages 6 and up.
- [Chess Pieces: Names, Values and Moves](https://georgelichess.com/chess-pieces.md): The six chess pieces explained: their names, letters, point values, how each moves and when the numbers lie, with diagrams for every piece.
- [Chess Strategies for Beginners: 7 Rules](https://georgelichess.com/chess-strategies-for-beginners.md): Seven chess strategy rules for beginners with a position for each: the first ten moves, the middlegame, the endgame and a checklist to use on every move.
- [How to Get Better at Chess: 7 Habits](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-better-at-chess.md): A plan to get better at chess from an International Master: seven habits ranked by payoff, time plans for 3, 5 and 8 hours a week and what to stop doing.
- [How to Look Up a USCF Rating, and Read It](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-look-up-a-uscf-rating.md): Where to look up a USCF rating, how to read the member page, why a US Chess rating is not a FIDE rating and how to estimate yours before you have one.
- [How to Play Chess: A Beginner's Guide](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-play-chess.md): Learn how to play chess from the first move: the board, how every piece moves, check and checkmate, castling, en passant and a first game move by move.
- [How to Set Up a Chess Board, Step by Step](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-set-up-a-chess-board.md): How to set up a chess board in eight steps: board direction, where every piece goes, the queen on her color and the mistakes beginners make most.
- [How to Win at Chess: What Decides Games](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-win-at-chess.md): How games are really decided at each level, a blunder-check routine you can use every move, the fast mates to know and avoid, and how to convert a won game.
- [Online Chess Classes for Kids Compared](https://georgelichess.com/online-chess-classes-for-kids.md): Private lessons, group classes and chess apps compared for kids on one table: when a group is enough, when a coach pays off and what to ask before you pay.
- [Best chess openings for beginners](https://georgelichess.com/best-chess-openings-for-beginners.md): The best chess openings for beginners, from rated Lichess games between players under 1200: how White scored in each opening, with its margin.

## Data

- [Average chess rating and a good chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles.md): The average chess rating on Lichess is about 1530 in blitz. See what is a good chess rating, from 345,715 active blitz players on 1 September 2026.
- [Lichess blitz rating distribution](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/blitz.md): The Lichess blitz rating distribution: the median is about 1530. Percentiles and rating bands for 345,715 players on 1 September 2026.
- [Lichess rapid rating distribution](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/rapid.md): The Lichess rapid rating distribution: the median is about 1445. Percentiles and rating bands for 201,221 players on 1 September 2026.
- [Lichess bullet rating distribution](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/bullet.md): The Lichess bullet rating distribution: the median is about 1640. Percentiles and rating bands for 169,583 players on 1 September 2026.
- [Lichess classical rating distribution](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/classical.md): The Lichess classical rating distribution: the median is about 1560. Percentiles and rating bands for 12,241 players on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 600 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/600.md): A 600 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 0.3% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 700 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/700.md): A 700 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 0.8% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 800 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/800.md): A 800 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 2.0% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 900 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/900.md): A 900 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 4.4% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1000 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1000.md): A 1000 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 8.4% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1100 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1100.md): A 1100 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 13.8% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1200 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1200.md): A 1200 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 20.5% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1300 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1300.md): A 1300 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 28.5% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1400 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1400.md): A 1400 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 37.3% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1500 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1500.md): A 1500 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 46.8% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1600 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1600.md): A 1600 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 56.8% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1700 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1700.md): A 1700 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 66.4% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1800 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1800.md): A 1800 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 75.4% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 1900 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/1900.md): A 1900 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 83.2% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 2000 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/2000.md): A 2000 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 89.3% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 2100 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/2100.md): A 2100 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 93.8% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 2200 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/2200.md): A 2200 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 96.6% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 2300 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/2300.md): A 2300 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 98.2% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Is a 2400 chess rating good?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles/2400.md): A 2400 Lichess blitz rating is higher than 99.2% of active players. See the percentile in blitz, rapid and bullet on 1 September 2026.
- [Most popular chess openings and win rates](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics.md): The most popular chess openings and how often White wins, with opening statistics from 1,619,715 rated Lichess games on 1 September 2026.
- [Chess openings by rating: under 1200](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/under-1200.md): The most played openings among players rated under 1200 and how White scores, from 274,199 Lichess games on 1 September 2026.
- [Chess openings by rating: 1200 to 1599](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/1200-1599.md): The most played openings among players rated 1200 to 1599 and how White scores, from 583,040 Lichess games on 1 September 2026.
- [Chess openings by rating: 1600 to 1999](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/1600-1999.md): The most played openings among players rated 1600 to 1999 and how White scores, from 606,149 Lichess games on 1 September 2026.
- [Chess openings by rating: 2000 and above](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/2000-plus.md): The most played openings among players rated 2000 and above and how White scores, from 156,327 Lichess games on 1 September 2026.

## Legal

- [Privacy policy](https://georgelichess.com/legal/privacy.md): What GeorgeLiChess collects when you book or buy, how it is used, who handles it, and the choices you have about your data.
- [Terms of service](https://georgelichess.com/legal/terms.md): The terms for using georgelichess.com and buying chess lessons: who may buy, packages and credits, cancelling, results, liability and disputes.
- [Refund policy](https://georgelichess.com/legal/refunds.md): How lessons are changed and cancelled at GeorgeLiChess: the 24-hour free change rule, when a lesson counts as used, and how long each package's lessons stay valid.